


Children of the Revolution

by justinfinchfletchley



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-10 07:25:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15944579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justinfinchfletchley/pseuds/justinfinchfletchley
Summary: Work in progress - Marauder era, Remus POV





	Children of the Revolution

Remus Lupin could not sleep one bit. All night he squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to doze off, at least for a couple of hours, but to no avail. It was almost as bad as the night before a full moon. Tomorrow was September the 1st, and over the summer he’d received his letter to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. With sleep less and less likely on the horizon, he recalled the moment he opened the thick envelope with an intricate wax seal; he’d never seen anything like it.

He had felt a mixture of pure elation and curiosity, but then the dread built up from the pit of his stomach and rose to his throat, holding his words captive. His father, bursting with pride had yipped with joy, 

“Remus, my son! Hogwarts!”

But Remus’ smile had faded, slowly he started, 

“but, but.. how will I…” He couldn’t finish, couldn’t speak it out loud. The hand that held up the envelope became limp, and a handwritten letter hidden beneath the course list, started to slip from the envelope, and his father tugged at it. Dumbledore had written it personally, in royal blue ink. It was rather lengthy, but Dumbledore has ensured Remus’ safety. Remus had felt a bit strange at that wording, his safety. It wasn’t really about his safety was it? It was about the safety of everyone around him. I mean honestly, he was a monster, a beast of the most dangerous and awful kind. How could they let someone like him anywhere near the school. But he couldn’t think about that now. His parents were beaming down at him, perhaps hiding their worries behind their comforting smiles. 

He tossed and turned, from anxiety, or excitement he did not know. Probably a bit of both, and before he could yield to the sleep pressing down on his eyelids, sunlight crept in through the curtains, and he threw off his blankets in frustration. Groggily he rubbed his eyes, and tried his best to ignore the knots in his stomach. 

“Good morning, my dear boy,” his mother was saying from behind a cup of tea, 

“You are up early! Excited, eh?” She smiled, but Remus could detect worry behind her tired eyes, it was clear she’d gotten about as much sleep as Remus had. He merely nodded in response, while spreading strawberry jam on a piece of bread. 

“Remus,” she said softly, coaxing him to put down his breakfast and look her in the eye.  
“It’s going to be alright. I promise. Dumbledore has promised the kind of precautions and medical support your father and I could never give you. You will be safe there, my dear.”

Remus gave a little nod, though not entirely convinced. But his mother went on, 

“I know we’ve kept you away from other children, but I think you making wizard friends, kids like you, it will help,” she said placing her hand on his shoulder.

“But mum, they’re not like me.” Hope tried to speak but Remus persisted, 

“And you know I can never tell anyone, how can I make friends with a secret like this?”  
Hope sighed, hesitating to make sure her son had properly finished voicing his concerns. 

“My dear boy, you are more than your condition, you are a wizard like your father, and I’m sure you’ll be a darn good one, just like him. As for friends, tell them like it is, it’s a condition, sometimes you… fall ill. Remus, it may be a part of you, but it is not who you are.” 

—-

The scarlet steam engine stood before him in all its glory, and he could not tear his eyes away from it. The sole stationary object in a sea of moving pieces; owls screeching, cats leaping from the arms of their owners in pursuit of tiny rodents in carrying cases, kids laughing and slapping hands and running towards one another, families openly weeping in tight embraces…

“Remus, son. You ready?”

His father’s words broke his focus and he turned toward his parents. His modest, loving parents. Although Lyall was a wizard, they looked out of place in this commotion of magic. Lyall had long been separated from this magical community, and the two of them were a mix of earth browns and beige against the color and energy that reverberated off of the surrounding wizards. They had velvet cloaks in every color and top hats and drawling capes, more eccentric than the glam rockers Remus would sneak glances of on the television and the record shops. Really, these wizards were more glamorous, more whimsical than he could have ever imagined. He was a little bit embarrassed just looking at him, but in honesty quite intrigued. This was the world he was about to live in, he wasn’t sure how well he’d blend in in this crowd. Lost in his thoughts, he gave both his mother and father tight embraces, willing himself not to think about this as a goodbye, willing himself not to cry. But his mother kissed him on the cheek, her tears stinging him there, and he felt suddenly weepy. 

“I will see you soon. Rwy’n dy guru di.”

“I love you too,” Remus replied, sniffing and wiping at watery eyes.

The train was already packed, and all Remus wanted was an empty compartment to sleep off his anxiety and exhaustion. Upon reaching the end of the train his best bet was a mostly empty compartment with a lone boy with puffy cheeks squished against the window. 

“Alright if I sit here?” Remus asked tentatively. 

The boy looked up and a grin spread across his face, 

“‘Course! Want some chocolate. Mum gave me some chocolate frogs for the trip.” He held out a box for Remus, who took it gladly. “Helps with my nerves,” he added quietly.

“Mine too,” Remus smiled. They exchanged names, and quietly nibbled at their chocolate. Remus bit off the head of the frog savagely before it could hop out of his reach, and pulled the trading card from the box. 

“Who’d ya get?” Peter asked curiously, peering over Remus. 

“Hesper Starkey,” he said clearly. “She…studied the use of phases..” Remus hesitated in the briefest of moments in which Peter did not notice, “..of the moon in potion making.” He smiled politely, “interesting,” he added unnecessarily. 

“Not really,” Peter joked, “I’ve got Godric Gryffindor! I’ve been hoping to get him. I want to be in Gryffindor, don’t you?” 

Remus only knew a bit about Hogwarts, just the basics of what his father had told him. He didn’t feel particularly brave so truthfully he wasn’t sure of Gryffindor. 

“Yeah, sure,” he lied. 

He thought maybe he’d end up in Ravenclaw, like his father, he’d always been quite bookish. Or perhaps Hufflepuff, though if they value friendship and loyalty, maybe not, he’d never really had a friend. He couldn’t imagine being placed in Slytherin, after all, Lyall had mentioned briefly their reputation to favor pure-blood wizards. Perhaps if they were as villainess as they seemed, they would pick up on his monstrous side.. 

“Oy, mate, mind if we sit here?” A voice called. 

Peter merely nodded meekly, and two black haired boys continued their over enthusiastic conversation about Quidditch beside them. They reminded Remus a bit of the jock boys who picked on Remus the few occasions he was out and about, and so he opened the book he’d been reading and focused in on the adventures of Frodo Baggins instead. 

 

Remus, invested in his book, hadn’t noticed that two other had students joined their compartment since he last looked up. A girl and a boy: the girl red-haired and seemingly upset about something, the greasy haired boy consoling her. Suddenly an argument seemed to break out throughout the compartment over House sortings. One of the dark haired jock-like boys had pronounced arrogantly of his favor of Gryffindor, the greasy haired boy retorted, 

“If you’d rather be brawny than brainy.” 

Remus almost laughed. But he too did not like the idea of Slytherin, so he remained wary of the boy. He briefly took back to reading, only to glance up to see that the girl and boy vanished from the compartment as quickly as they had appeared. 

—

The sky was dark when they reached Hogsmeade station, Remus could hardly see a thing but a few lanterns that lined the station, and perhaps one bobbing along above them; he could not make out its source. Following the raven-haired boys, with whom he still had not spoken to, as well as Peter, the first years made their way off the train and into the crisp September air. A large man, or well, perhaps the largest man Remus had ever seen, caught their attention with his waving lantern, calling them to follow him. They were encased in darkness and Remus wondered where this alleged castle stood. And then it appeared suddenly as they made a sharp turn; it was truly magnificent. He had seen castles before, mostly in pictures, a couple ruins in person, but that was nothing compared to this. Hogwarts was alive, grand in size and architecture, lights shone from the windows with promise of warmth, shimmering over the still black lake that lay before it. Images of magic tricks, the ones he’d seen his father do, raced across his mind. Hogwarts. perhaps it would be everything he could have imagined. But then, if something happened, if he let anything slip, surely he’d have to have it all taken away. No, Remus could not fall in love with Hogwarts, he was not like everyone else after all. 

Before he knew it, he was crammed into a little boat headed towards the castle, him and Peter on one side, and two giggly girls on the other, they seemed to be whispering nervously about the sorting. Everyone around him was quite stiff with nerves, while Remus could not relegate his nerves to simply sorting-related. Wherever he was put, he’d end up with people he’d have to live with for seven whole years, if he could even last that long. How was he supposed to live with the same boys for that many years without raising suspicion of his … lunar condition. Never mind that, they were approaching the castle and sooner or later, he’d be sorted, his fate set. Remus silently prayed he be put with a lot of dim-witted kids that he could fool into believing he merely had a tendency to contract the flu. 

The first to be sorted into Gryffindor was one of the dark-haired boys from the compartment. Remus thought he remembered him saying his whole family had been Slytherin, perhaps he wouldn’t be sorted into Ravenclaw like his father. But really, Remus didn’t know what he wanted at all. The red-haired girl was also sorted into Gryffindor. Remus noticed the greasy-haired boy looking at her with a mix of solemn and betrayal. Several of the boys and girls became Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, and a slew of arrogant looking kids became Slytherins as soon as their hair brushed against the hat. And then it was Remus’ name being called. Gulping back his uncertain fear, Remus reached the stool and sat, the sorting hat light on his head. With surprise, a voice emerged from within it, startling Remus. 

 

Hmm.. what an intelligent young mind you have.. perhaps.. but no, what a great deal of strength you must have to face.. well best be GRYFFINDOR. 

Remus hesitated for a moment, shaken from the experience of a talking hat that knew his insides apparently better than he did, then joined the red-haired girl at the table. Her name was Lily, and something about her felt familiar, that maybe she was an outsider like him in some way. Perhaps making a friend would not be so bad. After all, if Remus had been sorted into the house of the brave, perhaps now was the time to set his fears aside.

**Author's Note:**

> Just trying to get back into writing and Remus Lupin is a character I love above all else.. I can't wait to get into the meat of the story. Thanks for reading!


End file.
